Not long after Microsoft confirmed Xbox console sales for the first time in ages, the company now admitted they’re losing money on every console sold.
The news comes via a new interview with CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer (via CNBC), who confirmed Microsoft loses around $100 on every Xbox Series X sold. As this is their premium, flagship home console, they’re losing even more on the cheaper, less powerful Xbox Series S, where they lose up to $200 on each console sold.
Despite Microsoft’s seemingly endless cash from Windows operating system installations and their massive foothold on server/cloud architecture, the gobal economy is rough currently – and the gaming boss recently hinted they might increase prices. It remains unclear if this means they’ll increase pricing on hardware or games (Sony and others now push $70 games), but Spencer said prices won’t change, for now.
Selling consoles at a loss isn’t new, though, with the most infamous example prior was Sony’s ludicrously engineered PlayStation 3, which they originally sold at $240 lost per console sold (it was packing features, though). Conversely, Sony has already raised prices on their hardware, though the new prices don’t affect the American market.